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To my knowlege, there are rapid tests, eliza and western blot. Are rapid tests considered eliza? Heres my story.... I've had alot of partners to say the least. Few instances w/o condoms. Last time i had sex was back in Dec 2008. that was with a sex worker and condom was intact the whole time. I went in to the health department a couple fridays ago, i belive 4-24-09 (correct me if im wrong) I took the rapid test, when they pricked my finger and a drop of blood came out. 15 min later the nurse told me it was negative. I am dumbfounded by the results because A. I've had alot of partners, and i've slepted with like 4 women, no condoms (unknown status's)

Sorry to make it a long story but the real question is... Are the rapid finger tests reliable? Or should i go in and take the actual blood test? Again, last time i had sex was in Dec 2008, so is window period as issue? I apologize for asking so much, but im still lost...

understood, but.. do i need more testing? The health department says 6 months to a year is the window, but i talked to this guy from this HIV hotline, he told me its 3 months.. and my last sexual encounter was like 4 months ago

Whoever told you six months to a year is the window period is wrong. Except when extraordinary circumstances are involved such as extensive IV drug use, organ transplant or treatment for cancer, testing at 13 weeks after a risky incident is sufficient for a reliable result.

Everytime you have intercourse without a condom you are putting your life at risk. It's as stark and as simple as that. While it is true that unprotected intercourse is riskier for a woman than a man, it's still a very real risk for a guy. So condoms are not for just when you feel like it. Use one everytime. Period.

what i dont get is.. and for the record, im with u guys when you say condoms are effective... I hear people say they got hiv even though they used condoms...Is it really possible vaginal or seminal fluid could leak through a condom?

ummm i wonder why they say different. Anyway, im still not sure about my result cause... i did have people tell me that it could take years for the virus to be detectable in ur system... I read this post that someone said they tested neg five years ago, didnt have sex and test poz years later.... Im just worried... cause i did have alot of partners and i still don't understand why the test was neg.. i lived a reckless life. I will admite i did have sex with alot of sex workers, condoms used each time.. and then 5 women w/o condoms... im still lost on this....im afraid if i get tested next year w/o having sex till then, it may come back poz. What are the chances of that?

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out, which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

im sorry. It's just that from the stories i hear, i could test + any year even though i'd abstain from sex. Im just still dumbfounded by the results... I did have sex with alot of sex workers, ya they supplied condoms but the health department says men/women who have sex with prostitutes are considered high risk. Ann, andy, what are your thoughts? Could i totally be negative?

The ONLY true risk group, sexually speaking, is that group of people who have UNPROTECTED anal or vaginal intercourse. It doesn't matter who you have sex with or how often, just make sure you're using condoms. Hiv isn't some kind of punishment for having multiple sexual partners.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Ann, Rod and Andy. Thank you for your advice! I guess it'll still take some time to accept it. Maybe its just guilt from my "reckless lifestyle" Anywho, i do know someone that is positive, im gonna tell him about this site. I looked in the other threads and i see so many great people here!

Eh... Im still not sure about the finger prick rapid test's accuracy.. Im not sure how it checks the blood or what it does to check the blood? It checks only a small drop of blood and i was in an hiv chatroom and this guy in there basically scoffed at me and said those type of tests are a joke and not reliable because there "isnt enough blood" But yet.. its those tests are fda approved.. Ann, andy. What are ur thoughts? Should i get get tested again because this is my first hiv test and maybe this time do a blood draw?

Another question, and i don't want to go off topic but i really need to know this. I also was tested for syphliss, it was a VDRL blood test and that was negative. But i've seen on the net that, it isn't the most reliable, especially if ones in latter stages and its reccemended that they get a "Spinal tap." however the nurses at the health department assured me that the blood test would detect the dieases at any stage. I dont have any symptoms of syphliss or even neurospyhliss and im concerned. Should i get a spinal tap?

Im sorry, but this is really bugging me!! I don't understand how i tested negative??? The past years i've had sooo many sexual partners... Alot have been sex workers.. And i've had unprotected sex with 6 women. I was at the health department 2 days ago and the nurse there assured me that the rapid blood test is reliable and told me to seek mental help etc. Do you reccemond that i take an actual full blood test just to be certain? I havent eaten that much in a few days and all i do is worry... I don't know what is true anymore!! Im going crazy!! Please, ann, andy, rod, i dont mean to "troll" or anything but.. i just dont understand it! Are rapid blood tests that accurate???

Hiv isn't something that is magically generated in people who have many sexual partners. Did it ever occur to you that maybe none of the women you were with were hiv positive? Even if they were, it's no guarantee to infection. Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man. I was with a man for 18 months before we discovered I was hiv positive. We never used condoms during that time, yet he's hiv negative to this day. We used condoms during the remainder of our relationship, but not for that first 18 months.

It sounds to me like you're expecting to be punished for having a lot of sexual partners. Life simply doesn't work that way and hiv is not a punishment send down from on high. It's a virus with a specific set of exacting requirements needed for transmission.

I'm giving you that time out Andy warned you about. Please seek counseling to get to the bottom of your inability to accept your negative results. And PLEASE, protect your negative status and use condoms every time, no exceptions. You may not have hiv now, but if you keep having unprotected intercourse, you may end up positive yet.

Do not attempt to create a new account to get around your time out because if you do, you will be permanently banned.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Well even my Dr said i dont need more testing but something still bothers me... I been reading posts from some of the members here, they been saying they've tested negative after 3 months but became positive like many months later... And i read something that this guy said some people can test negative on an anti bodies test, but will always have a viral load. Now i am not sure about that rapid test i took... Dang it, now im gonna have to do to my Dr and get him to do a viral load test since people are saying that they gotten hiv months later after testing negative and they say anti body tests arent reliable.. The question is...can we really trust anti body tests after 3 months of incident?? Can we really trust condoms?? My last exposure, i wore a condom in dec of 08 and last time i had unprotected sex was 06, but the whole point is.... i've had so many partners for since i lost virginity (i was 18, now im 28) If you all are saying rapid tests are reliable, condoms work and 3 months is conclusive for test results, why are people saying different? help me out with this

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result orno-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

Rod, for real. Im really scared now, did u read what i wrote above you? People are saying they tested positive despite testing negative 3 months after sexual encounter...and again, some people here said they have a viral load but still a negative anti-body test again and again for months..So please, explain that instead of enforcing rules please. Im really in a state of panick

Whatever rod, i thought this is supposed to be a helpfull forum, not some kind of punishment forum here. You all dont know what the fuck ur talking about! I know i'll test positive today, i will bet 100 dollars that i'll come back positive...there is no way in hell i can be negative, i've had way too many sexual partners, and i'll give u a clue to how many i had, its more than 25! There u see? Its impossible for me to be negative, actualyl i've lost weight too, i probably have wasteing syndrom..all though i been too scared to eat or whatever... Watch me become right, i am smart

We have many members here who once got a negative result, but went out and engaged in more unprotected intercourse and subsequently became infected and tested positive. This doesn't apply to you as you have tested negative far outside the window period you were in back when you last had unprotected intercourse.

And let me remind you again that hiv is not a punishment for having many sexual partners. It's pretty damned insulting for you to suggest it is.

And yes, I'm giving you a second time out. You do not have hiv and this website is not the place for you to continually question your negative results. Again, do not attempt to create a new account to get around your time out because if you do, you will be permanently banned.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Ok, last week i was stupid. I was at a strip club and a dancer was giving me a lap dance and gave me a blow job while she was at it. I read on here it isnt a risk, but my friend who is in med school says its a small risk but said not to worry because it takes 5 lieters of salvia from the dancers mouth to actually be exposed to hiv. Im gonna go to the health department tomarrow and talk to a nurse, i know its too soon to get tested cause it happend last week, so i need to wait 6 weeks at least. But, is oral truley a risk in anyway? Should i get tested? I did get tested before earlier this year and it was negative and havent had sexual intercourse since..

I've merged your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep all your additional thoughts or questions in one thread.

If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.

Please also read through the Welcome Thread so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.

Getting a blowjob is absolutely NO risk for hiv infection. Your "med school friend' doesn't know what he's talking about. Not only is saliva not infectious, but it also contains over a dozen different proteins and enzymes that damage hiv and render it unable to infect. Not one person has EVER been infected over a blowjob and you certainly won't be the first.

You do NOT need to test over a blowjob.

If you insist on repeatedly coming back to wring your hands over getting blown, you will be given your third and final time out. Please consider yourself warned.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

The goal here is for you to be able to apply what you have learned to new situations as they come up. It's not for you to just idly come back again and again for essentially the same non-risk situation.

You need to start excercising your mind and not just your dick.

Ann has warned you and at this rate you're not going to be roaring here much longer.

If you're old enough to be having sex then you are old enough to start thinking about what's been said to you and applying that knowledge to your experiences. Get with the program, fella.

Ok so, now my Doctor says male recieving oral from a woman is a low but real risk. He made me test twice ever sence! Course the results were negative and i got tested 5 weeks and 9 weeks after the incient. But, he says 6 months is conclusive.. i thought it was 3??? Why are medical professionals saying different things than on here? What would u do if u were me?? What should i say to my doctor, im really lost

Your doctor doesn't know what he's talking about. Getting blown isn't a risk, as you've been repeatedly told. The window period for hiv testing is three months and has been at three months for years now.

You do not need further testing over getting blown. You don't have hiv.

Come back one more time with these blowjob worries and you WILL be permanently banned. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY YOUR LAST WARNING!

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Hi again, no im not comming back with a "blow job worry" However, im still getting tested just for my piece of mind. Thats all. I was tested at 9 weeks past incident, results were negative. So today it would be 11 weeks past, i went to the health department and they didnt understand why im getting tested again considering i did it 2 weeks ago.. I told the nurse i was aware that 12-13 weeks is a conclusive result and i wanted to get tested today because i feel really anixious. However she told me that "well 3 months is the window for some people, but to be absoultly sure, its 6 months" So then she tells me to come back in Febuary!! Now look, im in agreement with everyone here, 3 months is the window and i understand 6 is for only rare cases like getting treatment for cancer and so on. Its like im not allowed to be tested! O and the nurse did say i was at risk, i told her about the oral thing.. Im not fretting on it, just saying... thats all. Im so ferusterated at the departments being so conservative regarding the window peirod. Even my G.P says 6 months.... Where the heck can i find a place that uses up to date info and will test me? And the wierd thing is.. I was a different health department branch 2 weeks ago and they said 3 months is the window. Why im getting mixed info is beyond me. Is there anything i show to my doctor or the health department that 3 months is the window so i can test and put this behind me?

Im trying to see if i can upload a pic on to my profile but i can't seem to find that feature... Can you point me in the right direction to do so? And another question, I am negative, but i have herpes.. and lets say i meet a girl who is positive and i was ok with that, would i be considered a bug chaser? Im not trying to infect myself, just keeping an open mind. And what Dating sites are good? I tried plentyoffish.com but havent had any luck there. Im thinking of trying to meet someone i have more in common with (herpes) Is it not normal for someone negative to join a site like "poz personals" Is poz personals good?

You're already been told to keep your additional question in your original thread. You're still asking sexual risk questions and so you need to follow our rules. Starting a new thread in Off Topic was inappropriate.

Why on earth would you want to put a picture on your profile here? This is not a place for you to hang out.

A bug chaser is a person who actively seeks out hiv positive people and has unprotected intercourse with them with the sole purpose in mind of becoming infected. If you meet an hiv positive woman and want to have a relationship, that is not bug chasing. We are people just like anyone else and are capable of relationships with people who do not have hiv. All we need to do to protect our negative partner's hiv status is USE CONDOMS FOR ANAL OR VAGINAL INTERCOURSE.

There are dating sites for people who have herpes. Ever hear of Google? It's this nifty search engine that most people in the 21st century are familiar with. Enter dating herpes into this search engine and marvel at the results.

As for poz personals, I don't see why you can't join, but please keep in mind that most people who use hiv positive dating sites are looking for others with hiv. You don't have hiv. And if you think just because you have herpes that qualifies you somehow, think again. It doesn't. Hiv positive people who don't have herpes don't want herpes. I really hope you keep your herpes to yourself.

Maybe you need to speak to your doctor about acyclovir prophylaxis. That's something else you can enter into that fantastic search engine called Google. As this is an hiv specific website, we won't enter into a more detailed discussion about herpes or acyclovir with you. Talk to your doctor.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts